Cigar-retainer and inner seal.



A. H. ANDREWS.

GIGAR RETAINER AND INNER SEAL.

APPLIOATION FILED sEPT.15,1908.

921 ,938., Patented May 18, 1909.

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Application led. September 15, 19%.

Specification of Letters atent.

Eatented say 18, 1909.

Serial No. 453,625?.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, AUGUSTUS, H. AN- DREWS, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Cigar-Retainers and inner Seals, ol" which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to an improved retainer or inner seal for packing cigars in boxes and holding the cigars under a tension, whereby the danger from the cigars becoming broken in shipment owing to their having becoine loosened in the box on account of the natural shrinkage due to having been packed some tiine before shipment is obviated.

l'he objects of the invention are to produce a simple, cheap and eiiective retainer' and inner seal combined, such that when the cigars are lirst packed in the box the retainer may be placed in position, but not secured until it is desired to seal and ship the goods, When the retainer may be secured and thus tightly retain the cigars Without regard to hoiv loose they have become in the box since having been packed due to the natural shrinkage.

Another object of the invention is that after the retainer (which is rnade preferably ol glazed transparent paper) has been sealed, the cover of the box may still be opened and the contents seen through said retainer Without its being possible to reniove or substitute the contents, and it may here be reinarlred in this regard that the internal revenue stamp might be used in the same Way as a seal for the retainer.

While another advantage of my improved combined retainer and inner seal is that as it is secured when the cover of the box is open, when said box cover is closed it creates a pull upon the retainer Which constitutes a tension and pressure upon the cigars, Which Will allow of their continued shrinkage Without becoming loosened in the. box g and further, by the use of this retainer and seal the box may be opened, but the contents cannot be tampered With Without destroying said seal g and further, as the seal is secured upon the outside of the box, all danger of paste coming into contact With the cigars is avoided.

invention. consists in certain construction and combination ot parts as will be hereinafter fully described and clainieth but it is fully uni" stood 'that While l have herewith described and illustrated nay ivention as applied to the packing ot cigars, it may be put 'to other uses, and slight changes iay be inade in the construction and arrangernent ol the parts Without in any i departing troni the spirit of the invention.

ln the drawings forming part o this specification like reference characters designate corresponding parts in all the vi s.

`Figure l, is a perspective view oi a cigar box open and showing iny improved coinbined retainer and inner seal in place. llig. 2, is a perspective view ot' the back of a cigar box with the cover raised and shov/i' the niethod of securing or sealing the retainer. Fig. 3, is a cross section of a box ol' cigars open and slimvs the retainer secured in place before any tension is applied. il, is a cross sectional view of a box of cigars With the cover closed and sho ving the position of the retainer and cigars when the tension caused by closing the cover of the box is applied.

ln the drawings: 7digs. l, and 2, indicate a cigar box of the usual torrn except that the back 2, just below the hinge-joint and under the binding 3, is provided with slot 4.

To the bottom of the box, near the back thereof, is pasted or otherwise secured one end 7, of a retainer 5, which may be niade of any suitable material, but here shown and described as consisting of glazed transparent paper and which is of a Width to correspond to the length of the box and of sullicient length to cover the bottoni of the box, the front side and extend back over the top layer of cigars and reach Within a short distance of the back of said box. Secured to the free end of said retainer and forming part of the sanie is the seal or tongue 6, which is inserted through the slot 4, drawn up over the `ioint of the cover 1, and pasted down upon the cover l, near the joint, but in such a manner as to leave the end of said seal tree. rlhe slot 4, and seal Where it covers the joint are covered by the binding strip 3, Which is pasted down over thein and entirely'concealing saidslot 4.

The manner and use of the retainer and seal are as follows "he retainer being secured by its end 7, to the bottoni of the box Vllith these and other objects in view iny l at the rear thereof, and covering the bottoni and front, the cigars are now placed within said box, and if it is desired to ship saine at once the retainer is carried over the top layer of cigars and the seal or tongue inserted through the slot in the back of the box, and drawn up and secured upon the cover l, when said cover 1, is in an open position as shown in Fig. 3. The retainer and seal having been stretched in a comparatively tight manner the seal is pasted to the box cover 1, adjacent to the joint With the back, in such a manner that the end of said seal is not attached. I The joint of the cover is now bound with the usual binding 3, which Will cover the seal where it enters theslot A, and conceal said slot from view. The cover of the box is now closed and secured and the action of said 'closing Will exert a further pull upon the tongue or seal and tend to exert a tension upon the retainer and thus hold the cigars in a close relation With each other and with the bottom and back of the box. 0r if it is desired to retain the cigars for a While in stock, the seal may be inserted through the slot, the cover closed, but said seal left free until such time as it is desired to seal, stamp and ship said box, when the retainer may be drawn up tight and the seal secured in place.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as nevrT and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

l. A combined retainer and inner seal for securing cigars within a box, comprising a band having` one end secured to the bottom of said box, a tongue formed upon the other end of said band and adapted to extend through the side of said box and be secured to the outer surface of said box, all for vthe purpose of embracing and securing the cigars Within said box.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination with a cigar box, a cigar retainer having one end secured within and to the bottom of said box and its opposite end extending through said slot and adapted to` be secured upon the cover of said box.

3. In a package for containing cigars, a retainer and inner seal comprising a band having one end thereof secured tc thebottom of said box, said band extending forward under the cigars, upward past the ends of the cigars and backward over the top of the cigars and through the slot in the side of said box and secured upon the cover of said box.

4. A cigar retainer and inner seal for securing cigars Within a box, consisting of a band having one end secured to the bottoni and within said box, a tongue formed upon the other end of said band and adapted to extend through the back of said box and be secured to the cover of said box when said cover is in an open position for the purpose of embracing and exerting a retaining pressure upon the cigars when the cover of said box is in a closed position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

AUGUSTUS II. ANDREWS.

Witnesses 1 MARGARET A. ANDREWS, INM. J. COULTER. 

